Calling Lydbury North Pupils – Past and Present!

With the ongoing tumult with the proposed merger of Lydbury North Primary School and all of the hard work that the amazing campaign group we feel that it is high time for a huge celebration of the school with as many pupils, staff, parents as possible – past and present.  

Therefore, keep a date in your diaries for the 9^th and 10^th of August 2008. The weekend will include:

 Saturday am – tea and cakes at the school with opportunity to share photos, footage and most importantly stories and memories!

Saturday pm – Gerry and Sandra have kindly agreed to host a hog roast at the Powys Arms to provide an opportunity for more chat and reminiscing!

Sunday am – Paul and the church team have kindly agreed to have a “service of celebration” for the school. We are delighted to welcome back Peter Murcott and some of his wonderful music to help us celebrate! 

Posters and information will be going out shortly but please do keep the date free and come and help us celebrate. Also, if you have any photos or videos that we could use or you would be happy to join us in putting on tea and cakes at the school please contact kate.baker@rambollwhitbybird.com, 07870 637 098 or 0121 214 5187 

If you would like to know more about the service you can contact Peter Murcott on 01624 611 483.

We look forward so much to seeing you then – and to sharing some of your memories!!

With much love, Kate Baker

LYDBURY NORTH VILLAGE SHOP
We anxiously await a final decision concerning our Post Office facility. Meanwhile, if you are not a regular customer, DO call in to compare our prices with those of other shops. Many people are incredulous when we tell them that OUR PRICES are CHEAPER - because nobody has to make a living out of working there. Nevertheless, if your only purchase is newspapers, you are not helping us to survive. Can you imagine this village not only without its school, but its shop and P.O. as well? Help to keep it alive, and do yourself a favour at the same time. We are always keen to recruit new volunteers as well. If you don't like the idea of serving behind a counter, there are plenty of other useful companionable jobs to be done

Lydbury North and Clunbury Primary Schools face a further period of uncertainty following Shropshire County Council Cabinet meeting last Monday.  The intention of the meeting was for cabinet members to hear the views of the communities, and others involved with each school, and then decide whether or not to proceed to a stage of formal consultation on closure of both schools.  If this proposal was agreed the Diocese of Hereford would be asked to commission a new school serving both communities.  The Council Chamber at Shirehall was full of supporters who had travelled from Lydbury North and Clunbury; all were unanimous in their requests for the closures to be halted.  Chairman Cllr Pate read out a letter from Philip Dunne MP voicing his objections to the proposals and Rev Ian Terry (Director of Education at Hereford Diocese) shared Philip’s concerns, directly asking councillors to bring a halt to this procedure.

Disappointingly, however, the consultation was not halted completely, merely suspended, Cllr Malcolm Pate stated that he felt neither school site was adequate and that his preference was for a new build on a site equidistant between the two communities.  Cabinet members then commissioned council officers to provide them with feasibility studies on suitable sites within a 4 week period.  County Councillor Nigel Hartin (who is not a member of Cabinet) has referred the matter to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel as he feels the decision taken on Monday was flawed.  This means the matter cannot proceed until the Scrutiny Panel have met and made a decision, which is likely to be in June.

Nikki Pugh, vice chairman of Lydbury North governors has said “We are, in one way, sorry that there now follows a longer period of uncertainty and instability for both school communities but we do feel that it is important that any decisions taken by Cabinet are informed ones based on accurate facts, valued opinions are taken into account, and most importantly the right decisions for our children and education provision in our communities”. 
Lydbury North Primary School Governors
20.5.08

Lydbury North protesting at Shirehall on May 19th

Jacqueline Williams, Margaret Whittall and Annette Wilkinson are walking from Edgton Phone Box at 8am on Tuesday 6th May to Bishop's Castle Post Office to buy a stamp, they will also be calling at Lydbury North Post Office and Lydbury North School.

They are hoping that others will join them on the way.
They are also hoping a photographer will join them.

If you feel strongly about our village losing this service  please sign the petition in the shop or write to
Mark Partington
Network Development Manager
Post Office Ltd,
C/O National Consultation Team
FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM or
email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk
Customer Helpline:08457 223344

LYDBURY NORTH SHOP

 The Lydbury North Village Shop Association AGM will be held at Lydbury North Village Hall at 7. 30pm on Thursday 13th March. All are welcome, but only members have the right to vote. If you would like to become a member of the Association, please contact Rita Baker on 681 000. Membership costs £10 and is a one-off payment.
The shop continues to provide an essential service for people in the village who do not have ready access to transport. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you are not a regular user of the shop - and ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A MEMBER - come and visit! There is still a perception that goods must necessarily be more expensive in a village shop than in bigger retail outlets. This is absolutely not the case. The shop is manned/womanned/ exclusively by volunteers and is run on a NOT-FOR-PROFIT basis. Not only will you be amazed at the wide range of stock that we hold, but you will also find goods cheaper than elsewhere (organic smoked salmon, for instance). Nevertheless, in order to be viable there must be a sustainable level of turnover. So, before you jump in the car and add to the carbon footprint - please consider the shop. By shopping with us you will help to ensure the continuation of our service for the more vulnerable members of our community who have little other choice.

March 11th  - Annual Parish Meeting in Lydbury North Church. Service of 1662 Holy Communion at 1900 followed by the meeting for election of Church Wardens, PCC members and the annual meeting at about 1930. To vote, you need to be on the electoral role. Forms available at the back of the church.

The Lydbury North Big Dig is now well underway. There was an over-whelming response from residents wanting to help find the Anglo Saxon origins of their village.

Children spent the school half term week alongside the Lydbury Field Community Archaeology Group digging in their gardens,  looking for artefacts that would tell them more about the history of their village.

To date there have been shards of pottery spanning the last 600 years, glass, animal bones and lots of iron nails but not Anglo Saxon warrior.

Because of such an enthusiastic response to the project, digging will continue throughout the spring. The artefacts from each garden will be analysed, recorded and collated; and an open day held for residents to see the result of the BIG DIG.

Fore more information and to hear the interview, see the BBC Radio Shropshire website.

The Lydbury Field Group wishes to thank everyone participating in the project and, if you still wish to take part, please call Greta Howell on 01588 680223

 Some photos of the event are on the GALLERY page of the website.
 

LYDBURY NORTH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Our primary school recently learnt the news it has dreaded since last year, it has been included in a list produced by Shropshire County Council and earmarked for possible amalgamation with Clunbury Primary School.  School governors and parents remain vehemently opposed to the policy which led to the list being produced and continue to campaign for the withdrawal of the policy. 

Your support is vital, more so now than ever before.  The facts, relevant dates and suggestions for how you can help can all be found on the website www.saveourschool.co.uk.  If you don’t have access to the web a fact-sheet is being produced and will be available from the school, church or shop in the village. 

If you are reading this and wondering whether or not you will get involved just try to imagine the village without a school, a school that has been in our village for hundreds of years, a school that has educated hundreds of local children; a school that has provided jobs for hundreds of local people.  It may be that the cars parked all over the place irritate you at the beginning and end of the school day but you would miss them if they are gone.

LYDBURY NORTH PARISH COUNCIL NEWS

Speed Limit

 Parish Councillors heard at their January meeting that their campaign has been successful and the village speed limit of 40mph will be reduced to 30mph later in 2008.  This is extremely good news and congratulations to all those who relentlessly badgered the powers that be to achieve this.

Vacancy

 The parish council has a casual vacancy and will be seeking an applicant to fill this seat.
  Please speak to the clerk before Friday 15^th February if you are interested.

Street lights

 Most of our streetlights are getting old now and do not function as well as they did in their first flush of youth.  The parish councillors are tackling this problem in two ways, a recent survey has identified lights in most need of attention and over the last few years a sum has been set aside in the budget to enable most lights to be upgraded or replaced over the next 18 months. We have a local maintenance engineer and so if you see a street light that is not functioning as it should please speak to the clerk as it can only be repaired if she knows about it.

Bus Shelter

 The bus shelter in Lydbury North has suffered over Christmas either at the hands of the winds or vandals.  Please be vigilant and respect our bus shelter, repairs are costly and ultimately are paid by parishioners from their council tax.

Council Meetings

 Please remember that all council meetings are open to the public and 15 minutes at the beginning of each meeting is set aside for items from public members present.  This is your chance to air your grievances, share your concerns or simply to find out what happens at parish council meetings.  The parish council exists for its parish, it has a strong voice and can make things happen so come along and join in – we are already proud of our parish and its achievements but let’s not stop here.

The Clerk can be contacted on 01588680449 or email lydburycouncil@tiscali.co.uk.

ST MICHAEL’S AND ALL ANGELS CHURCH

Church Flowers

A Meeting will be held at the home of June Jones on Tuesday February 12^th at 2.30pm for all ladies who help with flowers in the Church. Anyone else who would like a cup of tea and a chat is most welcome.

Easter Lilies

If you wish to donate money to purchase lilies in memory of a loved one, please contact either Delia Lewis 680 257 or June Jones 680 643 by March 7^th. We need to order the lilies early as Easter is the weekend of March 23^rd.

COFFEE, BRING & BUY

Come and see the Aconites and Snowdrops and enjoy Coffee and a Bring & Buy at

Lower Gardens, Lydbury North on Thursday Feb 7th 10.30 am to 12.00 noon.

This will also be an opportunity for those who have the Deanery Magazine to pay their

Subscriptions for 2008. If anyone would like to be a new subscriber please come too.

Apart from the subscriptions, any extra money collected will be divided between

Lydbury North Church and Water Aid.

LYDBURY NORTH VILLAGE SHOP

NEW DELIVERY SERVICE

If for any reason you are unable to use the shop during opening hours you could telephone and order or leave us a list and we can deliver your shopping to your door! This service is free of charge. Phone 01588 680 501 to order your groceries and support your village community shop.

POST OFFICE CLOSURES

If you wish to keep a check on proposed Post Office closures you can visit: www.postoffice.co.uk

To obtain the list enter 'Network Change' at the bottom of the front page, then click on 'Current Public Consultations' on the 'Network Change Programme' box on the top left. Click 'Area Plan Booklet' to find closure details.

CENTRE SEEKS LOCAL MAKERS

Shropshire businesses will be given the opportunity to show off their products as part of the refurbishment of the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms. To compliment the work taking place to promote local food producers, the Discovery Centre is seeking information from local businesses that make non food products in and around the Shropshire Hills. As part of the development of the Secret Hills attraction within the Centre there will be a display of images high-lighting the wealth of products yielded from the local landscape. The type of businesses they hope to hear from could be trade or retail and making products from wood, leather, wool, metals, ceramics, glass, stone or textiles. They are also interested in local nurseries that produce native trees and plants or composts or soil improvers made from local materials.

“In essence we especially want to hear from people who use raw materials from the landscape to make their products” says Centre manager Joanna Bickerton, “we want to illustrate how important the landscape is to us in a variety of ways. Our new permanent exhibition at the Centre will feature the people, places and products of the Shropshire Hills from the Iron Age through to the present day”.

Free Local Products Directory

The information gathered from local makers will also be selected for entry into a Local Products Directory and web site which will give free promotion for the featured businesses. The aim of the directory is to raise the public’s awareness of the availability of local products and to encourage them to support local suppliers. This aspect of the work is funded by the Shropshire Hills Area for Outstanding Natural Beauty’s Sustainable Development Fund. The directory and web site will be launched in 2008.

Businesses from Shropshire and the border counties wishing to be involved should contact Joanna Bickerton on 01588 674093 or email information on their business to secret.hills@shropshire-cc.gov.uk

Flooding in Lydbury North Parish
If you have been affected by flooding you may find the following information helpful:

 Environment Agency
If you have been directly affected by flooding in your home please call the Environment Agency Floodline for further assistance and guidance on 0845 988 1188

 Shropshire County Council
If a road near you has flooded or is still flooded making travel difficult call the SCC Highways department on 01743 252 515 or fill in the online form at www.shropshire.gov.uk.

Relief Fund
If you are facing financial hardship due to flooding call the Flood Relief Fund on 01584 813 217 or find an application form at   www.southshropshire.gov.uk.

 Parish Council
The parish council is compiling a list of affected properties, this information will be fed into a centralised database held at SSDC offices at Ludlow.  This information will be used to focus flood control in the future.  If you would like your property to be included please let the clerk know on 01588 680 449.

 Equipment
You will find most local ‘hire’ shops will hire out equipment such as pumps to help as temporary measures in times of unexpected floods.  Local centres can be found in Yellow Pages.

 If a flood happens
The government website www.direct.gov.uk has some really useful and practical advice and guides you through the steps to take if your home floods.  If you do not have internet access please contact the parish clerk on 01588 680 449 to obtain a printed copy.

 Flood Defences for the future
A wealth of companies provide flood defence information and assistance.  Sites such as www.aqua-sac.com can provide low cost sand bags which can be kept deflated until needed.  The Environment Agency can help with more advice and contact details for local companies.  Always make sure flood defences carry the ‘kitemark’ as a guarantee of quality.  You can also find a list of approved companies on the parish council notice board and on this website (parish council page) (please note inclusion in this list is not a guarantee of efficiency or quality).